


Always

by LunarCycle (CrystalNavy)



Series: Always [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 07:23:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21157829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalNavy/pseuds/LunarCycle
Summary: Those we love never truly leave us.A story where all dead characters arrive in the afterlife, and shenanigans ensue.*NOTE: For this installment, I am considering BCJ as 'dead', even though he technically never died and never will.*





	1. Dysfunctional families

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily and Merope have a talk.

They didn't have any new arrivals in months. Right now, it was only James, Lily, the Peverell brothers, the Gaunt family and Death himself.

Of course, this had its problems.

"Filthy Mudblood!" Morfin roared

His father and sister were both trying to hold him back, to no avail. He wrestled himself free and he pointed his wand at Lily. She stared at him cooly. Then she shook her head.

"Men." she muttered under her breath "Come on, Merope, lest we get infected by their insanity."

Merope followed after her quietly, casting fearful looks at her father and brother. She sought to escape their noxious influence, to no avail. They followed her even in death. Lily, who knew the woes of dysfunctional family thanks to Snape, understood her plight and sympathized with her. Even if she brought their enemy into the world. 

"Want to talk about it?" Lily asked her gently

"You're the first one who cares.....who actually cares." Merope choked out "And I only met you long after I died, so no one really cared about me while I was alive."

Lily ran her hands down Merope's back, and the other woman relaxed.

"My father and brother treated me like a slave." Merope continued, bolstered by Lily's kindness "To them, it was all I was good for. My father planned for me to marry Morfin someday, to continue my family legacy.....to keep our family pure...."

"Your father was going to force you to partake in an incestuous relationship?" Lily asked, horrified

"That was his plan, yes." Merope confirmed "Fortunately, I left before he could make it happen."

"That's wrong." Lily shook her head "That's barbaric."

"I know." Merope said softly 

"We'll take care of you." Lily promised "We'll be a family you've never had."

"Why are you so nice to me anyway?" Merope raised her head "It was my son who killed you and your husband."

"It's because you remind me of an old friend of mine whose family situation was similar to yours." Lily admitted

And Snape's face appeared in her mind, however briefly.

"Will you introduce me to this old friend of yours when he or she comes here?" Merope asked "I'd love to meet him or her."

"I will." Lily promised "Hopefully, not for a long time, but I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever since I've read the sixth book, I've sympathized with Merope, and I still do, no matter what other people say.


	2. New Arrivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four new people arrive into the afterlife. Lily and James happen to be cordial to only two of them, and they adopt the third one. The fourth one, however, is summarily ignored.
> 
> (And that's just the start.)

Four new people had arrived, and they all arrived together. Two of them were men, though one was noticeably older than the other one. The third arrival was a seventeen-year-old boy, and the fact that someone so young was dead made Lily's motherly instincts kick in. Morfin and Marvolo weren't to know about them, she decided. And the fourth new arrival was.....

"Bertha?" Lily's eyes widened in disbelief

"That's me." Bertha grinned with that trademark grin of hers

Bertha was Lily's classmate and one of the few close friends Lily had. It was sad to know that she was dead.

Then her attention shifted to the other three. She recognized the younger man, as she had the pleasure of watching him try to kill her son. It was only because of Bertha and the younger boy that she restrained herself from making him regret it.

"May I know your name?" she turned towards the latter, ignoring the so-called Professor altogether. 

There must have been some mix-up in the chain of command, given that he was even allowed to come here.

"Um.....Cedric. Cedric Diggory." the boy replied

"Well, Cedric." Lily gave him a pleasant smile "How did you die?"

"I heard a high-pitched voice telling someone named 'Wormtail' to kill me." Cedric didn't seem as if he wanted to remember that occurence "Apparently, I was a 'spare'."

At this, Lily whipped out her wand.

"Despicable.....foolish......" she muttered, stalking off with a purpose 

"Peter isn't here, Lily!" James called out "He is not dead yet!"

"He will be here soon." Lily's eyes promised murder "Betraying us was one thing, but outright killing a seventeen-year-old boy? That's beyond despicable. He stole my new son's life!"

"You adopted another?" James asked incredulously "Isn't it getting a bit old?"

"Well, Ariana deserved it, and so does Cedric!" Lily announced sharply 

"Next I know, you'll be adopting Tom Riddle himself." James shook his head

"I just might, for Merope's sake." Lily shot back

"You're too kind-hearted, dear." James gave her a small smile "It will bite you in the ass someday."

"Maybe." Lily allowed "But today is not that day."

James raised his arms in mock-surrender.

"Besides, some people could be redeemed by showering them with the love they've never had." Lily added

"You always have to get the last word in, don't you?"

"Of course."

And that was how Cedric got adopted.


	3. Reunions (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily and James reunite with an old friend of theirs and introduce their adoptive children to him.

A figure was approaching them. Though Lily and James could see only the outline due to the misty weather - apparently, the weather was different each day, even in the Afterlife - the outline was familiar. Which was why they weren't suprised once the identity of the new resident of this realm was revealed.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed, hugging the man fiercely

"Careful, Prongs." Sirius Black rasped "You're choking me."

"Sirius." Lily breathed "We've missed you."

"Not as much as I've missed you." Sirius said cheekily

Before either Lily or James could respond with a smart remark, Cedric and Ariana approached them slowly.

"James." Lily said 

"On it." James nodded, though he seemed somewhat afraid

He apparated away, and was back after five minutes, clutching another boy in his grip. One that Sirius recognized as his former fellow inmate. The fact that everyone else in the room except Lily seemed wary of him didn't help matters either.

"Sirius, I would like you to meet my adoptive children: Cedric, Ariana and Barty." Lily beamed proudly

"Lily." Sirius grimaced "No offense, but you do realize what you're saying, right?"

"What am I saying?" Lily seemed genuinely confused

"I think he means that you just said you've adopted a certified lunatic." Cedric supplied helpfully

Ariana nodded her assent, mutely. 

"Anyone could be rehabilitated with love." Lily insisted 

Sirius took one look at the drooling boy in James' clutches and shook his head.

"I think I'll just let you come to your senses on your own." he said "Anyway, how was life?"

"Well, I renewed my friendship with Bertha and adopted three children." Lily said "But other than that, it was uneventful."

"I've missed my old pal Padfoot." James, who was still holding onto Barty, grinned "And Moony as well, may he take a long time to get here."

"Excellent." Sirius grinned back "Care to get drunk and forget about this whole episode?"

"Of course." James said

He relinquished his hold on Barty - who promptly fell onto his bottom - and sauntered off with Sirius.

"And no mentioning Wormtail in front of me." Sirius yelled loud enough for everyone to hear

Then he and James were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Peter will have it rough once he shows up. Also, I doubt that falling on his.....bottom.....was pleasant for Barty. And neither was the fact that everyone treats him as something horrible.


End file.
